We asked Vince McKay what the GNWT’s doing to better handle crises

The minister responsible for emergency management in the NWT says communication is the biggest thing to fix when a disaster strikes.

Communities minister Vince McKay spoke with Cabin Radio after Monday’s publication of an updated emergency plan.

That document provides the framework for who does what, and who has which powers, during a crisis.

In response to last year’s wildfires and the floods of 2021 and 2022, the updated plan tries to deliver more clarity in terms of where responsibilities lie. It also promises improvements to communication, an area where the GNWT faced sustained criticism during 2023’s wildfires and evacuations.

“Within government, there were maybe some silos that were set up. I think now, going forward, there’s the will to work together with the communications part,” McKay said.

“You’re going to have more information out there” from Maca in future, he added.

Multiple Indigenous governments expressed concern last summer that they were left out of the loop during evacuations or otherwise inadequately informed about the GNWT’s plans and actions.

McKay said there were “valid concerns” last year but also suggested the GNWT may never be able to satisfy all parties.

“I’m going to be honest, I don’t think that will ever change,” he said, asked whether he felt confident that Indigenous governments would not perceive similar failings in future.

“We can always say we’re going to work and communicate with all the Aboriginal groups, and even the communities in general, but sometimes it just happens where they feel – or one individual feels – that there wasn’t that communication, even though there may have been,” the minister said.

“I think the goal here is to have every level of government, including the local Aboriginal groups, involved. We encourage the involvement, we encourage the communication. And I think that’s the biggest thing.”

Below, you can read a full transcript of the interview. You can also read more about the updated emergency plan.

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This interview was recorded on April 21, 2024. The transcript has been lightly edited for clarity.

Ollie Williams: What are the big things that residents need to know about this updated plan? What do you think’s the most important thing here?

Vince McKay: There are a couple of key things. One, people need to realize the emergency plan is a living, breathing document. It’s going to be updated again – and it will be updated again after that. It’s just one of those things. You can’t plan for every emergency 100 percent.

The other thing is everybody needs to realize there is a personal responsibility to be prepared. Even just myself, going back to the Covid days, I had little emergency kits built in my own house to be prepared for a lengthy stay without anything. I’ve been in emergency services for 30 years and that’s one of the things we’ve always been trained to do.

You issued a statement earlier saying that you think the updated plan will ensure a “more coordinated approach.” What was getting in the way of that before? What problems are being fixed?

I would have to say the biggest thing is communication. Communication is always a sticking point in anything we do.

The biggest thing is more communication between agencies, more communication between departments. The local governments were communicating with the department most times, I think – all the time – but I think within government, there were maybe some silos that were set up. I think now, going forward, there’s the will to work together with the communications part.

The emergency plan is about who’s in charge of what, and what powers they have. It isn’t a case by case document, it doesn’t go into scenarios. But I wondered what’s happening to make sure that some scenarios are planned for. Last summer, for example, it was obvious that large parts of the GNWT hadn’t really planned on losing Yellowknife as a base of operations. If it’s not in this plan – and it isn’t, that’s not really the point of the plan – who’s doing that kind of scenario by scenario planning, and how’s that being improved?

For my department, we have talked about being ready with, for example, contractors and all that stuff like that. I know, just from communication with department personnel, every department is going through that scenario where they are being prepared for different types of scenarios and how they can work around them, essentially.

How confident are you that the next time there’s a crisis, the GNWT won’t have Indigenous governments saying they were overlooked or left out of the loop?

I’m going to be honest, I don’t think that will ever change. Me personally, I think the problem with the communication is… I mean, we can always say we’re going to work and communicate with all the Aboriginal groups, and even the communities in general, but sometimes it just happens where they feel – or one individual feels – that there wasn’t that communication, even though there may have been.

I think the goal here is to have every level of government, including the local Aboriginal groups, involved. We encourage the involvement, we encourage the communication. And I think that’s the biggest thing.

Did you think some Indigenous governments had a point last year?

For sure. I mean, I think they had valid concerns and I think they are addressed.

Problem is, everybody looks to the territorial government, which, I mean – it’s easy for me to say, because I’m in here now, and it’s easy for me to do this. But I know being involved previously, locally with Hay River and our emergency services here, we’ve always had the support of Maca and EMO and stuff with our breakups and floods and all that stuff.

Communication is always a big thing. It’s always a hard thing to tackle. And going forward, I think – I’m hoping – it’s going to be a lot better.

Most of the meat of the emergency plan can only be changed by legislation. Is there anything either in this plan or more broadly that you think does need to be looked at through a legislative change?

Obviously, there has to be an update through the legislative changes, for sure. I think the after-action review is going to point out a few things.

I mean, I can’t single them out, obviously. But I know for myself, I do have some concerns that I think the after-action review will bring out. And I think at that point, we’ll see the legislative change and another updated emergency plan.

What concerns do you have?

Again, I think they were addressed in this. Communication is always a big thing. I’ve been in emergency services for 30 years. Every event that I’ve been to, communication is always a concern. It’s always hard to get around. The clarity on the roles and responsibilities of every local government, every individual, I think is very important. But the communication is also another important part.

People listening to this will hear us talk about communication and they’ll wonder, “How is that going to change? What will I notice that’s different, as a resident, this time around in terms of how I’m communicated with?” How would you explain that?

Well, speaking from Maca’s role, I think we’re going to have better communication strategies. I think you’re going to have more information out there when we’re involved.

Ultimately, when it’s a local government, it’s up to them to have those communication plans. Obviously, Maca is going to support them. And if they need us to get it out, we’re going to work with them. They have access to the notification system through us. We’re willing to work with any government to get those notifications out or whatever they want to do, right?

The underlying question that I think most NWT residents have is: Can you promise us that future responses will feel more carefully planned – and more thoroughly thought out – than some of the situations that we found ourselves in last year? How confident are you that things will be better next time around?

I’m confident that they will be better.

I mean, it’s always hard to keep everybody happy. We know that. And the reality is there going to be people that are going to criticize all the time, and there are people that are going to be upset. However, I think the updated emergency plan has it covered for some of the changes that they found last year, some of the issues they found last year. Going forward, it is going to be a lot smoother and better.

I acknowledge it is quite easy to pick on the territorial government sometimes but, of course, you were not in government this time last year. There were some pretty big concerns, weren’t there?

Yes. I was probably one of the biggest critics. And here I am.

One thing I’ve learned over the last little while? The staff have the drive and the compassion to do things better – and everything’s a learning exercise. I think everybody wants to do the right thing and make sure everybody’s safe. The biggest goal is to make sure that everybody’s safe. Life safety is the most important thing, and that’s right across the board.

Would you have been less critical last summer, knowing what you know now as the minister in charge of some of this?

That puts me in a tough spot, there. But you know what? There is always going to be some criticism and I still have some concerns that I think will be washed out over the next little while. Nothing’s going to change overnight, and little things need to be fixed up as we go.